Rescuers save orphaned baby walrus in Alaska
Rescuers saved an orphaned baby walrus from Alaska and transported him to SeaWorld Orlando for safety.
Violet Anniskett, a wildlife research intern, and US Geological Survey scientist Tony Fischbach found the calf alone on a remote beach while scavengers threatened his life. The team fed the young male for several days before flying him to the Alaska SeaLife Center for further stabilization.
Officials determined the animal could not return to the wild because he lacked his mother to teach essential survival skills. SeaWorld staff traveled north to assist with care before moving the calf across four thousand miles to Florida.
At SeaWorld Orlando, Annautaq is receiving up to six bottle feedings a day and twenty-four-hour support during a planned thirty-day quarantine. This care protects the health of resident animals while he acclimates to his new environment.
He will eventually join Uki to learn from her as they both serve as ambassadors for their species. This effort underscores the facility's goal to encourage public support for protecting ocean wildlife in the wild. The park aims to inspire action toward preserving marine life through these rescued animals.